kidnap
gb/kˈɪdnˌæp/ us/kˈɪdnˌæp/
B2
English
~ 9700
elrabol, emberrablás
VERB
B2
1
elrabol
B2
Usage pattern:
to kidnap [someone]
The gang planned to kidnap the businessman on his way home from work.
A banda azt tervezte, hogy hazafelé menet elrabolja az üzletembert.
Rebels threatened to kidnap foreign aid workers if their demands were not met.
A lázadók azzal fenyegetőztek, hogy elrabolják a külföldi segélymunkásokat, ha nem teljesítik a követeléseiket.
She was kidnapped as a child and held for several months.
Police arrested three men who tried to kidnap a local politician.
The movie tells the story of criminals who kidnap a famous singer for ransom.
Learner examples
The men wanted to kidnap the rich woman.
A férfiak el akarták rabolni a gazdag nőt.
Someone tried to kidnap the boy after school.
Valaki megpróbálta elrabolni a fiút iskola után.
The police stopped a plan to kidnap the president.
In the story, pirates kidnap two children.
It is a serious crime to kidnap another person.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use *kidnap* for things instead of people, for example, saying "They kidnapped his car" instead of "They stole his car." *Kidnap* is only used for people (or very rarely animals treated like people, such as pets). Also, some learners confuse *kidnap* (verb) with *kidnapping* (noun), saying "He did a kidnap" instead of "He committed a kidnapping."
Meaning
take someone away by force
Collocations
kidnap a child
|kidnap for ransom
|attempt to kidnap
|plan to kidnap
|kidnap and kill
|kidnap a tourist
Synonyms
abduct (More formal and legal; used in official or written contexts.)
|
snatch (Informal; suggests a quick, sudden taking, often used in news reports.)
Antonyms
release (Focuses on letting the kidnapped person go free.)
Themes
crime
|law
|safety
Definition
to take a person and keep them in a secret place, against the law and against their will, often for money
To take a person away and keep them illegally, usually by force and often in order to get money or make demands.
NOUN
C1
2
emberrablás
B2
Usage pattern:
a kidnap of [someone]
Police are investigating an alleged kidnap of a local businessman.
A rendőrség egy helyi üzletember állítólagos elrablása ügyében nyomoz.
The failed kidnap attempt was caught on CCTV cameras.
A meghiúsult emberrablási kísérletet térfigyelő kamerák rögzítették.
He was arrested in connection with a kidnap last year.
The family refused to speak publicly about the kidnap.
Several people have been charged over the kidnap of the journalist.
Learner examples
The news reported a kidnap in the city.
A hírek egy emberrablásról számoltak be a városban.
The police stopped a kidnap at the airport.
A rendőrség megakadályozott egy emberrablást a repülőtéren.
She was the victim of a kidnap many years ago.
He went to prison because of a kidnap.
The movie is about a kidnap of a rich man.
Common mistake:
Learners often prefer the more common noun *kidnapping*, and may not realize that *kidnap* can also be a noun, especially in headlines (for example, "Kidnap attempt" instead of "Kidnapping attempt"). They may also say "He did a kidnap" instead of "He carried out a kidnap" or more naturally "He committed a kidnapping."
Meaning
illegal act of kidnapping
Collocations
kidnap attempt
|kidnap plot
|kidnap victim
|kidnap case
|kidnap charge
|kidnap suspect
Synonyms
abduction (Slightly more formal and legal; very close in meaning and often used in official reports.)
Antonyms
rescue (Refers to saving someone from a kidnap or similar danger.)
Themes
crime
|law
|media
Definition
the crime of taking a person and keeping them in a secret place against their will, often for money
The act or crime of taking someone away and keeping them illegally, usually by force and often in order to get money or make demands.
Grammar
Dictionary form
kidnap
IPA
GB/kˈɪdnˌæp/
US/kˈɪdnˌæp/
Syllables & stress
kid - nap (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (kid)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: kidnap
- 3rd Person Singular: kidnaps
- Present Participle: kidnaping, kidnapping
- Past: kidnaped, kidnapped
Word family
Forms
kidnaps
verb
kidnaping
verb
kidnapping
verb
kidnaped
verb
kidnapped
verb
Core family
kidnapper
noun
Related words
abduct
verb
abduction
noun
Advanced or less common
abductor
noun
Expressions
No expressions linked to this entry yet.